<How to Join / ご参加方法>
Please fill in the form at the bottom of this webpage.
Once you have submit your registration, we will send you a Zoom webinar link to participate in this event.
<Panelists / パネリスト>
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Sakon Kuramoto, Attorney-at-Law of Japan, Attorney-at-Law of the State of New York, U.S.
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Nick Spooner, Climate Change Engagement Specialist, Robeco
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Haonan Wu, Assistant Manager, Federated Hermes – International
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Yasuko Suzuki, Program Coordinator, Kiko Network
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Megu Fukuzawa, Japan Energy Finance Campaigner, Market Forces
- Eri Watanabe, Senior Finance Campaigner, 350.org Japan
(Moderators)
- Rebecca Sherratt, Vice-president: Publications Editor, Insightia, a Diligent Brand
- Koh Matsuki, CEO, Proxy Watcher
<About this event /イベント詳細>
Date: January 18, 2023
Time: 9am GMT/ 6pm JST/8pm AEDT
Host: Proxy Watcher / Insightia
Webinar platform: Zoom
Join a high level discussion about climate-related shareholder proposals in Japan with specialists from climate groups and asset managers, hosted by Insightia (UK) & Proxy Watcher (Japan).
After the unprecedented AGM season of 2022 in Japan, with the biggest numbers of Japanese companies including Mitsubishi Corporation, SMFG, TEPCO, Chubu Electric and J-power facing climate-related shareholder proposals, there has been increasing interests from various shareholders to have engagements to assist Japanese companies to take meaningful steps to decarbonize.
Historically, this trend started from the AGM season of 2020, when Kiko Network filed a shareholder proposal to Mizuho Financial Group. Since then, Japanese trading houses, banks, and utility companies have faced shareholder proposals seeking disclosure of critical risk management information as those companies’ current practices and policies contradict their own net zero emissions by 2050 commitments.
Many of these companies updated their climate policies and changed their investment strategies in order to meet with Paris Agreement due to these shareholder engagements, although none of the climate-related shareholder proposals have gained two-third of shareholders’ support, necessary for adoption according to Japanese corporate law.
Notably, for example, Sumitomo Corporation announced in February 2022 that they decided not to be involved in any new coal-fired power generation business, and they withdrew the planned expansion of the Matarbari power plant in Bangladesh.
We have assembled a panel of experts to dive deep into the achievements of these shareholder proposals and discuss what could be a topic for future engagement with Japanese companies to realise Paris-aligned corporate Japan.
More information and reference material about the climate shareholder proposals can be found below. If you are unable to attend, you can watch the replay later at a time that suits – just RSVP now.
(References)
- Joint Release: Voting results of shareholder proposals calling for more ambitious climate actions consistent with Paris Agreement (Kiko Network, En/Jp
- Resolution Results and Quotes from Co-filers for Mitsubishi Corporation, TEPCO, Chubu, and SMBC Climate shareholder proposals (Fossil Free Japan, En/Jp)
- UPDATE: Sumitomo faces major rebuke from shareholders on climate inaction (Market Forces, En)
- [Joint Press Release] Press Release: Voting results of shareholder resolution for MUFG (Kiko Network, En/Jp)
- Press Release : Voting results of shareholder resolution for Mizuho Financial Group (Kiko Network, En/Jp)
- Shareholder Activism in Asia 2022 (Insightia, En)
- ESG ACTIVISM JAPAN 2023 (Proxy Watcher, En/Jp)